When it came time to buy a new car back in 2006, my choice was clear. The Toyota Prius was the only car at that time that provided the performance I needed and was as eco-responsible as I could get. I knew that my top priority was sustainability and so my “green” decision was easy.
Living in California, I thought that other Prius buyers were doing it for the same reasons, but I’ve learned it’s always good to know whether you’re really as similar to your neighbors as you think you are. When I asked the dealer for the top reasons why his customers were lining up to buy his product, he listed (most popular first):
• Hollywood celebrities were buying the car
• Permission to use the carpool lane when driving alone (California law) • Saving money on gasoline • Doing good for the planet
Wow, so even Californians had put environmentalism at the bottom of the list!
Driving my Prius, I quickly discovered other reasons why we make green choices. First there’s the “show off” factor. The shape of the Prius is unmistakable and whether I knew it consciously or not, I liked the idea that I was touting my “green-ness” wherever I went. Part of the reason I didn’t choose the Honda Civic hybrid was because it simply looked like any other Civic.
More interesting though was the proof that if you show someone the right information in the right way, at the exact moment when they’re making decisions, you can drive greener choices. That little mpg bar going up and down was better than any cop at changing my driving behavior. In a matter of weeks, my girlfriend was saying how happy she was that I was a nicer, calmer driver.
Now that I’m a homeowner making a new range of lifestyle decisions, I think about what my Prius has taught me about green motivators. Everyone has their own personal reasons but the motivators seem to fall in to five major types:
• Emulating celebrities (“Be like Mike”), • Saving time or costs (“Show me the money!”) • Reputation/credentials (Greener than the Joneses) • Doing good (Save the planet) • Instant, in the moment, green information (Red light, green light)
I’d really recommend looking at this list to see which motivators work for you. It’ll not only help you make choices about greener living in your home, but also it should help you get the most bang for your greener buck.
Products you buy or lifestyle changes you make that fit one of your top motivators will be that much more effective, and you’re more likely to keep them around after any one fad starts to fade.
I might not turn down my heat because Robert Redford is doing it at home, but I’ll do it for myself when I can see what each degree is costing me in real time.
Those solar panels might not save you much money, but what would you do if everyone started calling your neighbors "Heroes of the Planet"?
And once you know yourself (and your spouse), wouldn’t it be interesting to figure out what motivates your friends? If nothing else, you’ll have more fun things to say at your next dinner party:
“Hey, did you hear George Clooney just got a home wind turbine?”
“That sleek new toilet we just installed? Saves us $10 in water every month.”
“My daughter just got an iPhone app that tells her when not to run the hairdryer.”
Really, when it comes right down to it, I know what gets me to do the right thing for the planet, but I’m just one person. To make a real difference in the future of our world, we’ll all need to understand the different strokes for different folks and help each other live greener lives.
Ted Ko is a student in the Presidio Graduate School MBA Program in Sustainable Business. With a software background, he’s fascinated by ways technology can help society become more sustainable and is currently working with the FIT Coalition to bring about the best renewable energy policies in America.